A man who shed seven stone says it's completely changed his life - and his incurable skin condition now feels "better than ever."<br /><br />Ryan Russell, 27, has suffered with psoriasis since he was a teenager - leaving him feeling embarrassed about his body.<br /><br />And he says he's always struggled with his weight and, during lockdown, he spiralled out of control. <br /><br />He reached his heaviest weight of 21st 4lbs in August 2020.<br /><br />But after taking inspiration from a soap actor, he decided to put in the effort to change.<br /><br />And now, two-and-a half years later, he's lost a third of his bodyweight and, as a result, his psoriasis has improved.<br /><br />Ryan, from Falkirk, Scotland, said: "I'd always been overweight, and my psoriasis diagnosis made me feel even more self-conscious. <br /><br />At 16, Ryan noticed red patches of scaly skin develop on his body.<br /><br />After going to the doctors, he was diagnosed with psoriasis - a common, long-term skin disease with no cure.<br /><br />As the condition worsened, Ryan found it difficult to deal with and, in lockdown, he began piling on the pounds.<br /><br />He began eating uncontrollably, and, by August 2020, he weighed 21st 4lbs, and was dangerously overweight.<br /><br />But, after reading a newspaper article about Coronation Street actor Colson Smith's weight loss journey, he found the motivation to change.<br /><br />Previously, Ryan would binge daily on McDonald's, pizza and kebabs.<br /><br />He'd snack continuously throughout the day and ate far more than his body ever needed. <br /><br />But he decided to trade takeaways for a low calorie diet and meals which are rich in protein and fibre.<br /><br />These include chicken and rice, low fat chilli con carne and steak and potatoes with mountains of veg. <br /><br />Along with completely changing his diet, he also created a strict fitness regime with the help of his long-term girlfriend.<br /><br />This included running 15k a week and daily visits to the gym to lift weights.<br /><br />As the months passed, he lost more and more weight, and two and a half years later he is thrilled with his new look.<br /><br />He now weighs a healthy 14st 1lbs, and since shedding the pounds, has noticed a significant improvement with his skin.<br /><br />Ryan says his psoriasis has now faded in several areas, and, the patches that are still there, are far less profound.<br /><br />He said: "It took a lot for me to commit to my weight loss, but once I got into a routine, I never looked back.<br /><br />"I ditched the takeaways and excessive snacking for a low calorie diet and discovered the benefits physical and mental benefits of exercise.<br /><br />"As I started to get results and lose more weight, I began to love myself again.<br /><br />"My psoriasis was at its worst when I was at my heaviest, and when I changed my lifestyle, my condition started to clear up.<br /><br />"It's not completely gone and I've been told it never will - but the difference between now and lockdown is amazing.<br /><br />"And, I owe a lot to my girlfriend of ten years, who's been with me through thick and thin.<br /><br />"She was there supporting me every step of the way, and I couldn't have done it without her."
